BENGALURU: Reports about a man losing his limbs due to infection spread by his dog’s saliva has gone viral on social media. This has got several pet parents in the city worried. CE spoke to city-based veterinarians to understand the reason behind this.
Veterinarians say this is a rare case, and that they haven’t come across such a case in Bengaluru before. Veterinarian Dr Lohith HD says, “I have checked with the microbiology department of the veterinary hospital in Hebbal, and they also say no such cases have been recorded in India.”
Greg Manteufel from Wisconsin, USA, developed flu-like symptoms such as fever and vomiting post coming in contact with the dog’s saliva. Later, he rushed to the emergency room noticing bruises on his arms and legs. After the doctors ran some blood tests, it was found that a bacterial infection has spread across his limbs and needed to be amputated. Apparently, the infection has been caused by a dog’s saliva. The bacteria, Capnocytophaga canimorsus, seeped into his bloodstream, causing sepsis or blood poisoning from bacteria.
Dr Lohith says, “It’s not possible for someone to get infected from a dog’s saliva. There is lot of bacteria in the oral cavity of both animals and humans, but not risky enough for it to lead to loss of limbs. There could be other reasons, such as an open wound or compromised immunity. Only in cases of deep wounds are there chances of infections being spread.”
Dr Pawan Kumar, Cessna Lifeline Veterinary Hospital, agrees. He says he hasn’t come across such a case in his career, calling it an ‘uncommon finding’. “It is common for dogs to lick. But if the person has a wound or is diabetic with weak immunity, it might lead to an infection. This bacteria is commonly found in dogs and cats, but mainly dogs. They are usually inactive, but if there are scratches or wounds on the body of a person, these bacteria could multiply,” he adds.
Oral hygiene is an essential parameter. Dr Pawan adds that dentistry in dogs and cats is neglected worldwide. “When we brush every day and take proper oral health care, why do we neglect the same for pets? Dental scaling and oral antiseptic need to be regularly done for pets as well,” he says.